Summary
- 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - Rich narrative with tactical mech battles, more like a visual novel than a JRPG.
- Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories - Addictive gameplay loop focused on crafting potions and completing quests.
- Front Mission 3: Remake - Unique tactical system with deep customization options for Wanzer mechs.
Ever find a JRPG and think it’s going to be a Game of the Year contender only to find out hardly anyone played it? That’s a shame on two fronts. First, games that do not sell well probably won't get a sequel, and second, it’s just a shame when a good game gets overshadowed. It happens all the time, like when smaller games release next to bigger AAA games, but it's an unfortunate reality of the gaming industry.
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In the pursuit of spreading the word to help keep these JRPGs in everyday discussions, this list will recommend some unsung JRPGs that more fans should play. All of these selections are easily accessible, so while an interesting NES JRPG like Destiny of an Emperor is also worth discussing, it’s not easy to play on modern hardware.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Light On RPG, Deep On Story
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
- Released
- September 22, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Strategy
Unicorn Overlord is Vanillaware’s latest JRPG, and it has sold better than their previous games, leaving its predecessor , 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, a bit in the dust.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a time-traveling epic featuring characters scattered across different timelines all pursuing the same goal of stopping a chaotic event in the future. The writing and voice acting are the best Vanillaware has ever produced, and in many ways it’s more like a visual novel than a JRPG. There are tactical mech battles occasionally, which add some interactivity, but they’re not as important or as engaging as the characters and the narrative.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist Of Memories & The Envisioned Land
A Cutesy Open-World Adventure
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land
- Released
- March 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, Crafting, Action
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is a lengthy title, but like all Atelier games, the plot and gameplay loop are relatively simple. This title focuses on a new alchemist, Yumia, who is setting up shop to help people in a new land.
Players can explore, fight monsters in quick-turn-based battles, and collect ingredients. The big hook revolves around crafting potions and items for NPCs in order to complete quests. It’s a low-key JRPG but one that is very addictive once the lengthy tutorials are over.
Front Mission 3: Remake
Wanzer Tactics
Front Mission 3: Remake
- Released
- June 26, 2025
- Developer(s)
- MegaPixel Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Forever Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG
Front Mission 3: Remake is the latest remake in the Front Mission series, a tactical JRPG franchise that doesn’t get as much love as Square Enix’s bigger hit, Final Fantasy Tactics. Instead of pushing knights and mages around a grid-based map, players will pilot mechs called Wanzers.
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Pilots can learn skills that enhance their Wanzers' capabilities, such as attacking twice in a row. However, leveling up in Front Mission 3: Remake is non-traditional. Wanzers can be upgraded by installing new parts in shops, giving players deep customization options. The story starts slow, and it’s very challenging at first, but players should pursue it for the unique tactics gameplay.
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery Of The Soulless Army
PS2 Fans Have Been Waiting
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army
- Released
- June 19, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a remaster of a PS2 game, Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army. It was a late release for the system, so not many people played it or its even later sequel. Hardcore Megami Tensei fans have been dying to play it again, and Atlus finally re-released it with a ton of quality of life improvements.
Unlike most entries in the franchise, Raidou Remastered's gameplay is action-based, set in the 1930s. Persona may be the more recognizable name nowadays, but fans of those games should also check this one out.
Sand Land
Tanks, Toriyama-san
Sand Land
- Released
- April 26, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
In the anime space, Dragon Ball was Akira Toriyama’s most important work, and in the video game space, his artwork for the Dragon Quest series is massively influential. Sand Land was Toriyama’s last original work, which was turned into a manga, anime, and video game.
The game is an expansion of the idea involving demons and humans working together in a post-apocalypse to find water. The open-world setting is devoid of variety, and the action is fairly basic, but it’s still a great game for the tanks and mechs that players can control. There’s no other action RPG quite like it.
Scarlet Nexus
The Other Side Of Tales
Scarlet Nexus
- Released
- June 25, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Scarlet Nexus was produced by a team within Bandai Namco that also works on the Tales of games. It’s a high-concept sci-fi action RPG involving one city at the end of the world, trying to push back monsters.
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Teams are sent out to destroy monsters, and players can choose from two characters, each with their own squad, whose story they will pursue. The designs are wicked, and the action is stylish, particularly the telekinetic abilities of the main character, which allow them to toss objects and enemies around the battlefield. Plus, unlocking party members in Scarlet Nexus can be as satisfying as a Persona game. There’s a big cliffhanger at the end, so hopefully one day, with enough support, Bandai Namco will greenlight a follow-up game.
Voice Of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
Not Carding Around
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
- Released
- October 28, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is a simple card-based RPG with a seemingly small budget. Characters only appear as portraits, cards display enemies in battle, and the map looks like a chessboard with cards on it. So, while small in design, the card-based gameplay is good, and the story is deep, as Yoko Taro, the infamous NieR director, co-directed the games in this series.
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden and Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden were the two sequels, and all three will be relatively quick journeys for newcomers with some pretty wild and satisfying twists in their stories to look forward to.
Ys: The Oath In Felghana
A Zelda-like RPG
Ys: The Oath in Felghana
- Released
- May 30, 2005
- Developer(s)
- Nihon Falcom
- Publisher(s)
- Nihon Falcom, XSEED Games
The PSP tried its best to make it in the West, but not many bought one and experienced some of the best games in the JRPG genre. Ys: The Oath in Felghana is one example, but thankfully it has been recently remastered.
With a light story, players need only focus on exploring a world that opens up like a Metroidvania or Zelda game. Fight monsters from a top-down angle, level up, and upgrade equipment at shops; that's all there is to it. This is the best Ys game to start with, but they are all mostly good. Perhaps it's the uncertain pronunciation of "Ys" that keeps JRPG fans away.
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